Russ first appeared on the show in 2004 with his family, including brother Sam and sister Nicole, and after studying at Hollyoaks High School, Russ later became a teacher and was involved in many storylines including battling testicular cancer, falling in love with Sophie Barton and having an affair with Mercedes McQueen, who he later married.

Mercedes, played by Jennifer Metcalfe, then had an affair with Warren Fox, played by Jamie Lomas, causing their relationship to break down, while Russ went on to have a child with Tina McQueen, Mercedes' sister, who later died in an explosion in a church.

Hollyoaks: Actor Stuart Manning back almost a decade after the leaving the Channel 4 show [Getty]

Hollyoaks: Russ was at the centre of several dramatic storylines during his first time on the series[Channel 4]

Following Tina's death, Russ decided to kidnap his son Max from Jacqui McQueen's care and flee the Hollyoaks village, which is when viewers last saw him.

Now that Russ is back, fans are desperate to know why he's returned to the village? And what will his storyline involve?